5 Oscar Contenders You Might Not Have Heard Of (But Should Pay Attention To)
3. Ad Astra
If his previous films, The Lost City of Z and The Immigrant, are any indication, James Gray is a filmmaker on the brink of breaking out as a major auteur name. Both are gorgeously shot, powerfully acted, and very deliberately told stories that capture a palpable sense of place. From the jungles of the Amazon with The Lost City of Z to the streets of 1920s New York City with The Immigrant, these films create a world so textured that they completely immerse the audience into their setting.
With that, the idea of James Gray directing a film taking place in the far reaches of outer space is incredibly exciting. With an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and Ruth Negga to boot, expect James Gray’s Ad Astra to be a smash hit.
The “space movie” sub-genre has seen a resurgence in the past several years, what with the successes of Gravity, Interstellar, and The Martian. Gray will undoubtedly be taking a unique approach as the plot is described as “Heart of Darkness in space.”
The film follows Pitt’s character on a voyage through the solar system to find his father (played by Jones) who went missing on a mission to Neptune long ago. Lensed by Hoyte van Hoytema (Dunkirk) and scored by Thomas Newman, Ad Astra could also make waves in technical categories such as Cinematography and Score.
20th Century Fox will release the film in theaters on December 25th.